
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 23, 1990                   TAG: 9007230301
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A/6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

FEDS AREN'T FUNDING COSTLY `SMART ROADS'

EARLY in June the Virginia Department of Transportation chose option 3A of the U.S. 460 Corridor Study in Montgomery County. It selected the route preferred by most citizens who made input. Fiscal realities being what they are, the department got the most "bang out of the buck": dual-purpose fundable road, non-impacting, and one that could be in place soonest.

This will create a free-flowing expressway around the towns by linking the Blacksburg and Christiansburg bypasses with new construction, plus an extension to connect with Interstate 81 to provide unimpeded passage to Roanoke, which everybody wants. It will take but five minutes longer to drive this modified version of the unfundable Ironto "direct link," which has not even been surveyed for environmental and socio-economic impact, which may be substantial.

It is a reasonable trade-off between a fantasy and a real possibility. Congressman Boucher said he would seek federal funds for whichever option the Department of Transportation chose, and this is it.

A "smart highway" (if one should come here, which is doubtful) could be incorporated in the new construction linking the town bypasses. Though shorter than the over-the-mountain route conceived, it would serve and cost far less money.

What is sought by some "wheels" now is unfundable. The U.S. Department of Transportation is not planning on any nine-figure "smart roads," though it does promote electronic motoring study on a more modest basis.

LEONARD J. UTTAL\ BLACKSBURG

by CNB